The Eternal Heart
by Rakromaryu
Summary: I watched the entire series and was not content with the ending they gave me so I decided to write a new one. I don't know just yet what's going to happen but I can tell you that I hope it turns out well! Main pairing is Satoshi and Daisuke...sorry. lol.
1. Disclaimer and important stuff

D. Fanfiction (for show only Not the Manga!)

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own D. (but wouldn't mind it if I did! ^_^)

Begins in episode 26 just before Dark and Krad are sealed. Just as Mr. Hiwatari is swinging the axe.

I think you should know that while I do love this series I have only seen it once and I'm still reading the manga. I do have a few unfortunate habits like adding characters and changing preexisting characters by accident. I apologize in advance if I change anything to drastically but I am adding a new character. I don't know yet how big her role will be only that she has one and that it is particularly important.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and please feel free to review and tell me what I may have done wrong or what I've done right.

Ryuu


	2. The Offer

Dark flew into Krad at the exact moment that Mr. Hiwatari raised the axe and began to bring it down but in that instant time seemed to slow and then stop.

"Hiwatari, what's going on?" Daisuke asked, still on top of him from knocking him out of the spell.

"I don't know," Hiwatari looked around as both ignored their somewhat curious position. "There," Hiwatari pointed to the shimmering figure that was beginning to take form only a few feet away. It was impossible to tell what she really looked like because of the golden light around her but they could tell it was a woman and that she was very pretty. They could tell she had short hair that didn't even brush her shoulders and was wearing a floor length dress that hugged her upper body and slowly flared out in graceful folds.

"Who are you?" Satoshi asked slightly harshly. She said nothing and stayed where she was as she continued to study them.

"What do you want?" Daisuke asked quietly and almost gently.

"To help you. Both of you," her voice was soft as velvet rubbed the right way. Her eyes thought, they were deep and clear. They looked so full of knowledge and yet gentleness that both boys felt safe and relaxed almost immediately. "The axe will miss and break," they froze and watched her. "There is an art work that can help you. When the axe misses and breaks it will release a spell that traps everything around it. It stops everything except time."

"Then how can you help us?" Daisuke asked curiously.

"I can protect you from the spell. You would be frozen in here but I can remove you from this as well. Dark and Krad will be stuck here but you will both have your own bodies. You can leave. The spell is only temporary and will eventually break." She still hadn't come any closer. Satoshi gently pushed Daisuke off him and Daisuke blushed realizing why she had been reluctant to come closer.

"Will you come closer?" Satoshi asked softly. Slowly she approached them and sat down in front of them. "Are you the one holding time?"

"No, I called in a favor from an old friend. She cannot hold it much longer so I will explain quickly. When you are free you must find and enter the world of the statue."

"The world of the statue?" Daisuke leaned forward in interest. Satoshi looked confused and frowned.

"The statue I'm sending you to is a gateway to another world. You need to know that there are only two ways to exit once you're in. Either the mistress of the place releases you or one of you stays behind. Once this spell has broken Krad and Dark will both return to inside you. In that world they will have their own bodies but none of their magic. It will be prohibited. You have to get in and out on your own."

"Does," Satoshi hesitated before trying again, "Does the one who stays behind have to volunteer?"

"No, he simply must be the last to try to leave. The spell will catch him and hold him."

"Why are you helping us?" Daisuke was frowning now.

"I knew Krad once, a long time ago. He was once as kind and gentle as Dark but power consumed him and he became what he is now. Krad was once my friend," her voice wavered slightly.

"You loved him," Satoshi said and Daisuke looked stunned.

"I still do little friend. I was unable to help him back then but now I must do what I can to protect others. It would be what he would have wanted all those years ago. Will you accept this?" She waited as the two thought it out.

"What happens when we leave?" Daisuke asked after looking at Satoshi. She could see his concern for his friend but said nothing, Satoshi had seen that look as well.

"It will depend on what happens inside the other place. If things go well then you will each be given a gift. If not you will return in the exact same condition you arrived in just one person short."

"How do you know this statue will want to help us?" Satoshi frowned. He wasn't going to try something unless he was sure it would work but the gasp of pain that came from between the woman's lips surprised him.

"I don't have enough time to explain, I've been gone to long as it is." She was beginning to fade away. "The statue is called 'The Eternal Heart'." Then she was gone.

Time sped up again and the stranger woman's words proved true when Mr. Hiwatari's foot slipped and the dark axe shattered against the floor. Then something extraordinary happened, a bright flash of light blinded everyone.

Daisuke sat up and rubbed the back of his head before scrambling to his feet and over to Satoshi, "Hiwatari!"

"Niwa?" Satoshi opened his eyes and propped himself up on his elbow.

_Dark? DARK? __**DARK!**_ "Hiwatari, I can't feel of hear Dark," Daisuke's voice was filled with concern.

"I know, Krad is gone as well," Satoshi said as Daisuke helped him up. He froze, his eyes wide, as he stared at the sight in front of him. Daisuke looked over his shoulder and saw Dark and Krad frozen in a crystal. "She told us this would happen," Satoshi whispered.

"Hurry," they turned and she stood not far away, her voice was only a whisper. "You have only three days. Good luck my friends," then she was gone. Satoshi was the first to move but he nearly fell. Daisuke caught him and put an arm around his waist while pulling one of Satoshi's arms around his own shoulders. Satoshi smiled in thanks as the two slowly headed outside and then towards town.

"Uh, Hiwatari?" Daisuke's face was slightly red; "Did you want to stay at my house?"

"No, thank you but I think I'll do some searching on my own." Satoshi smiled at his friend and stood on his own. He nearly fell but when Daisuke reached for him he regained his balance and reassured Daisuke, "I'm fine." They stood in silence for several minutes before Daisuke spoke, "We have three days so we better get to work."

"Yes," Satoshi nodded in agreement.

"I'll call you if I find anything," Daisuke smiled and turned to run home. Satoshi watched him go with a faint smile on the edge of his lips before turning and heading off to do his own research.


	3. The Truth About Aaron

"I'm home," Daisuke called as he walked in the door. He was exhausted but they only had three days to find this statue and they had no idea where to start looking.

"Daisuke! Are you alright?" Emiko looked him over for injuries and when she found none he sat down on the couch.

"I'm okay but," he filled them in on everything that had happened.

"So, you were given three days," Daiki confirmed.

"Yeah, but I've never heard of anything called _The Eternal Heart _grandpa and neither had Hiwatari. Have you heard of it?" Daisuke asked but his grandfather shook his head.

"It's a statue that no one's ever seen," Kosuke said from the doorway. Emiko went over and helped him to the couch. "It was a work of the Hakari family but when they discovered the abilities they'd unintentionally given her they went to destroy her but she somehow escaped them. It's said that she's in a garden but for some reason no one has ever seen her."

"Why do you keep calling it a 'her' dad?"

"The statue is of a woman," Kosuke smiled at his son. "I tried to find more information on her a long time ago but all I found was that she was created long before the cultural reform and that even they couldn't seem to find her."

"The woman told us that the statue is only a gateway," Daisuke said frowning. "How can she expect us to find it when even the statue's creators were unable to?"

"Maybe there's a map?"

"Towa? Could you find it?" Daisuke asked.

"I'm sorry Daisuke but the Hakari family asked me a long time ago and I couldn't find her back then either," Towa shook her head.

"It's okay. Maybe Hiwatari will find her," he smiled. "I'm kind of tired; I think I'll go to bed. Night," he called as he went up the stairs. He lay there for over an hour but sleep just didn't come so he went out and stood on his balcony. Staring at the stars he thought about the statue and if there was maybe a map. He sighed as his thoughts went silent and Dark's didn't pick up where his had left off. He was so used to his friend that without him there now it felt wrong.

"You are lonely?" He spun around and looked up. There was a young woman sitting on his roof looking down at him. She looked to be a few years older then him but she had a kind smile. Her hair was dark cobalt and matched her eyes perfectly. It reached just below her chin and flipped about in the breeze like it was feather light. She wore a pair of black pants and a red shirt under a black coat.

"Who are you?"

The stranger laughed brightly, "I'm Aaron and now I'll answer your second question. I'm here to help you and that's why I'm on your roof."

"Oh, I'm Daisuke Niwa. It's nice to meet you Aaron," he grinned back at her. He liked her friendly smile.

"Will you come sit with me a while?" She offered him her hand and he took it. Together they lay back and stared at the stars. "They're so beautiful aren't they?"

"They are," he agreed. He thought about Dark again and missed him but he was also thinking of Satoshi and what might happen if they didn't get to this statue in time.

"He'll come back," she said gently.

"What?" He turned and looked at her but her eyes were still riveted to the lights above them.

"Dark, he's not gone. Why do you worry?" She smiled at him this time.

"I'm also worried about Hiwatari," he found himself explaining. He trusted this stranger for some reason that he couldn't explain.

"He'll be okay. He's sleeping now and he knows as much as you, if not more. I gave him the same message I'm here to give you and that is that at sunrise you have two days left," she waited.

"How do you know all this?"

"I was sent to help you by _The Eternal Heart _because she is waiting for you and wants you to succeed. She tried to help as much as she could but it wasn't enough and she knew it so she sent me," Aaron smiled and then laughed when Daisuke nodded and yawned at the same time. "Go and rest Daisuke, I'll stay here and watch over you until sunrise." When Daisuke was safely down off the roof and inside with the door shut she look towards the stars again and whispered, "Only two days left. Hold on my friend, I'll get them there as I promised."

Daisuke walked down the stairs and thought about the strange dream he'd had about someone sitting on his roof waiting for him. He'd checked earlier and she hadn't been there.

"Mom, Towa, grandpa, dad?" He called but no one answered. "Hello?" He stood there for a minute before he heard something fall and a curse from the kitchen.

"Mom?" He walked in and saw Aaron on the floor with an egg in her hands and flour in her hair.

"Morning Daisuke," she smiled sheepishly. "Your family went looking for more information and so I thought I would make you both some breakfast."

"Both?" Daisuke frowned as he knelt beside her.

"Satoshi will be here soon because of my message," she smiled and as if on cue there was a knock on the door. Daisuke ran to get it as he heard Aaron getting up and trying to clean everything up.

"Hiwatari, come on in," he smiled just as there was a loud thud and another curse. "You okay?" He called out.

"Yeah," she laughed. "Trust me you don't want to see the kitchen right now though. I dropped the flour," she laughed again. "I'll be out in a minute I'm just going to clean this up."

"Well, why don't you sit down Hiwatari?" Both sat on the couch and Hiwatari leaned forward.

"Did you get one too?"

"One what?" Daisuke asked, confused.

"A note," he showed Daisuke a note that said the same thing Aaron had told him.

"Aaron!" He called. "I thought you said you told him, you didn't say it was a note!"

"Well he was sleeping and I wasn't about to wake him," she called back tartly. Finally she walked out of the kitchen, looking clean, "there's it's all clean and breakfast will be ready soon. Oh! You must be Satoshi Hiwatari! Nice to meet you, I'm Aaron." Satoshi stared at her.

"You were the one who left this?" He waited for her to nod before continuing, "Did you move me last night?"

"You fell asleep at your computer and it didn't look that comfortable so I thought you might sleep better in your bed." She looked slightly uncomfortable.

"You removed my glasses?"

"Well," a timer went off and she headed back to the kitchen, "would you have preferred I left them on you?" Satoshi was surprised but turned to Daisuke.

"Who is she?"

"I don't know. She just showed up last night and told me she was here to help," Daisuke answered just as confused as Satoshi.

"Breakfast, Satoshi you will eat as well." She called from the kitchen. "You need all the strength you can get."

"That was amazing Aaron, thank you," Daisuke grinned at Aaron as she cleaned off the table and began to wash the dishes.

"It was good," Satoshi agreed slowly. Aaron smiled at them both.

"I'm glad you liked it."

"Hiwatari, my dad said that the statue is in a garden but that no one can find her. Even Towa couldn't feel anything."

"That's because once you do find the garden you'll get lost without the map," Satoshi said softly, trying to keep what they were saying from their mysterious guest.

"So we need to find the map," Daisuke said. "That can't be too hard."

"I already looked for it but I couldn't find any indication of a map," Satoshi frowned.

"Well of course you couldn't. Did you think _The Eternal Heart_ wanted the Hakari family to be able to find it that easily? The only way to get the map is for her to give it to you," Aaron laughed.

"You're the map," Satoshi said with narrowed eyes.

"Yes but I can't lead you to the garden, only through it. I'm sorry," she looked sad. "I really want to help more but I can't."

"You're the one who froze time aren't you?" Daisuke asked her quietly.

"Yes," she smiled. "I hold them frozen. The reason I can't give you anymore then three days is because the longer I hold them prisoner the more energy it takes. After three days the spell starts to drain me."

"You mean it starts to kill you?" Satoshi watched silently as Daisuke asked all the questions that were going through his head. Aaron nodded in answer to Daisuke's question. Daisuke started to look upset and worried but she smiled and gave a dismissive wave.

"It's fine Daisuke. It barely requires any energy to hold them for now. The longer I hold the harder it gets. There are a few other factors but for now they don't play any part in this at all."

"Why are you risking so much for us?" Satoshi was frowning, he didn't understand.

"I risk because she asked it of me. She has protected me while I sought the answer to my questions. A way to make my dream a reality," she looked at them and smiled. "Before this she has never asked anything of me and now she has. Finally I can give her something in return for everything she has given me. Everything she's done for me. There's no way I could deny her this even if I wanted to and there's no way I'll fail her in this," her voice was firm and calm. She had no insecurities at all about what she was doing.

"What is your dream?" Daisuke asked but she just flushed and looked away.

"Your dream is to become a human, isn't it?" Satoshi watched her head snap up and then a sheepish smile flit across her face.

"You are most certainly a Hakari, and yes that is my dream. I am a work of art Daisuke, just like _The Eternal Heart_. A creation of the Hakari family from a long time ago, before the cultural reform, protected by her. My name is _The Timeless Shadow _and my art form is less then impressive. It's just a carved orb that rests in her hands. I'm happy to exist at all but I'm tired of watching everyone else live and die. I've lost so many friends and now I want the chance to live just like them. Once everyone you know and even their grandchildren are dead it gets," she hesitated and looked away.

Daisuke remembered the first thing she'd said to him when they'd met. "It gets lonely," he said quietly. She looked at him and smiled before nodding.

"Daisuke! We think we found the garden!" His family walked in and froze looking at the three sitting on the couch. "What on earth is going on in here?" Emiko asked in surprise.


	4. Krad's Past

"Great!" Daisuke grinned at his mom. "Oh, you already met Hiwatari and this is..."

"Aaron?" Towa popped her head around Emiko. "Aaron!" She ran over and tackled Aaron right off the couch and to the floor.

"Hey Towa," Aaron said in a slightly muffled but otherwise casual voice. Towa was talking so fast that no one understood a word she was saying. "Peace my friend," Aaron said gently and right away Towa fell silent and stood.

"I'm so sorry Aaron! I shouldn't have, and with you at your age and all," she helped Aaron up.

"Hey, a lady never tells her age!" Aaron laughed and seated her self right back on the couch. "Oh, and think nothing of knocking me over. It is good to see you too," Aaron was still smiling when she turned to the others. "It's nice to meet you all. You must be Daiki! You've grown so big! I remember when you were just a little boy and your father had passed his family's little secret on to you!"

"Ah yes! You came to tell my father about something," Daiki and Aaron stood laughing and talking about old times while everyone else watched in surprise.

"Excuse me but who are you?" Emiko asked.

"Oh! I'm sorry! My name is Aaron but I believe I'm better known as _The Timeless Shadow_," she smiled and Kosuke stepped forwards.

"I've heard of you. You're supposed to have great power that the Hakari family was afraid of and when they tried to destroy you, you vanished. No one knows where or how only that you just disappeared."

"She saved me from the Hakari family. I was so close to being caught but when I agreed to help her in exchange for protection she took me to her garden. My orb hasn't left her hands since that day." She smiled at him. "You are well informed and know more then most do."

"I've studied art for a few years," he laughed.

Satoshi was frowning, "What are your abilities?"

"You've seen what I can do little master. I can hold time and create illusions so powerful that you don't even realise that it's an illusion."

"What did you just call me?" He was stunned.

"Oh, sorry. I called you little master." She blushed, "it was something I called one of your predecessors. He was a great tamer like you but unfortunately he became sick and died when he turned fifteen. He was my creator," she looked away. "Maitoshi was a great kid and had a big heart for a Hakari. He was so much like you. He too became a friend with the Niwa of that time and while their other selves fought they tried to stop the fighting. When they couldn't they tried to minimise the damage and then help each other out after. It was tough but it worked, until that day Krad used too much energy and changed making Maitoshi fall into the ocean. It took him hours to find a rock face to hold onto and by the time I found him it had been almost a whole day in the icy water. Even with my help and Krad's energy he got sick. For the first time Krad felt regret because as much as him and his tamer had fought over his relationship with the Niwa they had become actually quite close. That was when he refused to allow himself to grow close to anyone ever again. He'd lost his tamer and _The Eternal Heart _and he couldn't bear to lose anything else. I felt so horrible that after he'd worn himself out giving everything he had to save his tamer I used as much of my energy as I dared to give him. Our combined strength was nearly enough but not quite. I wanted him to have one day where he knew what was going on so I used a spell I hadn't used before because of the energy it took. It was called the life spell and it allowed a person to be completely healed of anything for one last day. A day to say goodbye and do any last minute things. Krad and I worked hard to make it perfect," she smiled. "He even refused to fight Dark that day. Maitoshi died that night." She flinched.

"I've heard of the life spell," Satoshi frowned. "It means that for that last day the person who cast the spell takes on everything the patient had and holds it in themselves. When the twenty four hours are over the spell releases the patient and gives them a quick painless death."

"It's like falling asleep. You just close your eyes, drift away and then you're gone," she nodded.

"No one casts that spell because of the amount of strength and stamina required to cast it," Satoshi frowned.

"I spent the next forty years recovering," she raised an eyebrow. "I believe I will help Towa prepare dinner while you all talk. We have much to discuss."

Silence ruled the room as everyone thought about what she'd said. Satoshi stared at his hands as he thought about this new tale of Krad, one that painted him as a friend and a pained individual. He wasn't sure what to make of it and whether or not to believe her because of everything he'd been through. Krad had never tried to be his friend and had made it obvious that the only thing he wanted from Satoshi was the use of his body. Satoshi thought about his ancestor and everything he'd been through before dying and wondered if it was at all possible that Krad could be a good person down inside but that he was so afraid of being hurt again that he didn't want to take the chance. After all Krad must have seen dozens of tamers come and go but this one had been his friend. Then there was Krad loving someone. It seemed appropriate that he should fall in love with another work of art and that it be a Hakari piece but the fact that Krad could love at all was beyond Satoshi. He questioned whether or not Krad might have actually been his friend if circumstances had been different. He thought about what it could have been like if they'd been together rather then on opposing sides. He wasn't sure whether or not he liked the picture it painted but it was more peaceful then the life he'd had.

"Hiwatari, are you alright?" Daisuke touched his arm, snapping his attention back to where he was and what was going on. He'd missed the entire conversation about where the garden was and anything else that was said while he'd been thinking. He was kind of stiff from not moving but physically he was fine. Inside he was falling apart.

He took a slow and steady breath, "yes, I'm fine." The lie came easily to his lips and fell from them as lightly as a snowflake but Daisuke seemed to know because the frown that marred his brow didn't leave as he studied his friend. Inside Satoshi was hoping he would let it go or that something might distract him. As if someone had heard his wish there was a crash from the kitchen and Towa gave a loud and surprised shout. Everyone rushed in and saw Towa helping Aaron to her feet with one arm around her ribs. Aaron was shaking pretty badly but still managed a slight smile.

"Sorry Towa," she gripped the counter.

"What happened?" Emiko asked but Aaron wouldn't look at her and Towa still had an arm around her.

"Nothing, it was just a dizzy spell. I think I'll go get some air, maybe that will help." Aaron stumbled slightly on her way out the door but no one moved.

"Daisuke," the name came off Towa's lips shakily and as if she was afraid. Everyone looked and saw Towa looking at the hand that had been on Aaron's ribs. There was blood all over it. Without a word Daisuke bolted for the door and was out it in a second before he realised Satoshi was right beside him.

They found her sitting near the beach, leaning against a low stone wall. Her breath was heavy and her eyes were closed but other then that there was no sign that anything was wrong at all.

"Aaron?" Daisuke knelt down on her right side and looked at her face while Satoshi knelt on her left and looked at where her hand was pressing against the wound. Blood had wet her shirt and made the red shirt even darker in that one spot.

"I'll be okay, just give me a minute," her breathing was starting to return to normal but she still looked somehow wrong.

"What happened?" Satoshi asked calmly after a few minutes of silence.

"It was just a dizzy spell. It was a bad one and I stumbled into the counter. I knocked my ribs off the corner, cutting my side, before I fell. It's only a small cut," she protested when Satoshi lifted the side of her shirt a little to get a better look at the wound. She was right, the cut was small and wasn't too bad. There was a little bruising but otherwise it looked like there was no real harm done. Satoshi ripped a strip off the long red shirt and wrapped it around her side to help with the bleeding and keep any infection away.

"Maybe you should eat something or get some more sleep?" Daisuke offered but she just laughed.

"Don't worry so much Daisuke. This is nothing that can be fixed by food and sleep, only time."

"Will you be okay?" Daisuke frowned with worry.

"Of course! I just wasn't expecting this so early," she looked out across the water.

"You knew this would happen?" Satoshi's eyes narrowed.

"Yes, I'll have more dizzy spells but I'll be expecting them now and they won't catch me off guard. Don't worry they don't cause any real damage they just make me tired. Will you sit with me for a while?" She asked and the two sat on either side of her against the low stone wall.


	5. Satoshi and Aaron Bond Together

"We should be heading back for dinner," Daisuke stood up and watched Satoshi follow his lead. They both looked at Aaron and waited but her eyes didn't open.

"She must have fallen asleep," Satoshi gently lifted her and they walked back to the house.

"Aaron!" Towa ran over looking worried.

"She's just sleeping Towa," Daisuke laughed quietly.

"Aaron's sleeping?" She looked confused and concerned, "but Aaron doesn't sleep." They all stared at the young woman in Satoshi's arms and tried to figure out if this was going to be a problem. "Here, lay her on the couch," Towa said as she ran for a pillow and a blanket. Satoshi put her down and backed away as Towa practically flew over to the couch and proceeded to try to make Aaron as comfortable as possible.

A few hours later Aaron gave a slight groan and opened her eyes. "Damn," she muttered.

"Aaron?" Towa knelt beside her.

"Towa, I fell asleep didn't I?"

"Yes," Towa nodded looking at the carpet.

"Relax. It's not so bad I just wasn't expecting it so soon. Krad's stronger then I gave him credit for. He's fighting the illusions already," there was a small amount of grudging respect in Aaron's voice. "Although when this is over, I still might pound him for this. My ribs still ache," she complained with a small spark of humor.

"Illusions?" Satoshi was on the stairs behind them but only Towa turned to look.

"Go Towa. Rest, I'll be fine," Aaron said calmly.

"Aaron, are you sure?"

"I'll last a while longer," Aaron smiled. Towa left looking concerned. "Come here Satoshi. I'm to tired to speak loudly." Satoshi walked over and she patted the couch beside her. He sat down and she looked at him. There were dark circles under her eyes even though she'd been sleeping. "I know I look horrible so there's no need to say it," she gave him a slight smile.

"Are you alright?"

"I've been better I'll admit but I'll hold out. The illusions help me to contain people within my spells. What would you do if you found yourself trapped in a strange place?" She asked quietly.

"I would try to fight my way out," Satoshi answered.

"Exactly. The illusions give those trapped inside the feeling of normality and it keeps them from fighting me. Problem is that they usually start to figure out something's wrong by the beginning of the third day and start fighting. Krad has gained more strength and cunning in the past few years and has already begun to think that something like this has happened. Naturally if I told him what was going on he would probably sit still and shut up however right now he's being too stubborn to let me show him." She muttered something uncomplimentary about Krad under her breath and Satoshi thought it best not to bother trying to find out what it was. Her words stopped mid-sentence and her eyes glazed over. Satoshi frowned and looked at her closely. Her breathing had paused and her body was rigid. That was when his eyes widened and he figured it out.

"You're in pain," he whispered in disbelief.

"Yes, not much though," she whispered as her eyes returned to normal, her body relaxed and her breathing started up again. "It passes, see? Now why don't you go back to bed? You need the rest my little master." She smiled at him tiredly but he just looked at his hands. He didn't want to think about the reason that he couldn't go back to sleep. About his dream, his nightmare.

"Bad night vision?" She asked softly after watching him for several long moments.

"Yes," he said slowly. "I had a bad dream, a nightmare." He leaned forwards and placed his face in his hands as he tried to relax but it wasn't working. After a few seconds he felt a pair of warm and gentle hands on his shoulders but before he could pull away they slowly began to massage the tense muscles. Soon he found himself leaning back into those capable hands as the tension drained from him and peace wound its way into him. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back slightly telling himself that in a few minutes he would draw away and go upstairs to sleep, or try at least.

She felt his body go slightly limp and smiled to herself. Slowly she lowered him down onto the pillow she'd been using and knelt beside the couch. Smiling a gentle and sweet smile she brushed the hair back from his face and removed his glasses. Placing them on the table beside him she turned and pulled the blanket up over him. With a shallow gasp she clutched her sides and leaned her forehead against the couch whispering quietly to herself, "not yet. Please, not yet. I'm not ready yet." She stayed like this until the first rays of sunlight broke out across the horizon.

"Hiwatari?" He heard Daisuke's voice as if from far away.

"Leave him be Daisuke. Let him sleep, I'm afraid I woke him accidentally last night." Aaron's voice soothed softly and the voices faded away as Satoshi slipped back into that comforting darkness.

Slowly Satoshi opened his eyes and looked around. He was still on the couch only now he was lying down and had the blankets up over him. Sitting up and reached over and put his glasses on before looking up and seeing Aaron standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Sleep well little master?" She smiled at him but he could see the circles under her eyes from across the room. She looked pale and drawn but otherwise she gave no sign of how she was feeling.

"Yes, thank you. How did you do that?" She frowned in a puzzled manner, "help me to sleep."

"Oh," she smiled. "Your body knew what it needed but your mind was just so busy that it was making your body reject sleep so I just helped you to relax." He nodded slowly and then looked around.

"Where is everyone?"

"They think they might have found the garden and are going to check it out. They'll be back to pick us up if they find anything," she smiled and walked over to sit beside him on the couch.

"Are you okay?" He frowned as he studied her a little closer.

"I'm afraid I have no answer for that one because I have no idea," she gave a tiny laugh.

He frowned as he saw pain in her eyes and noticed that her hands were clenched into fists. "Are you," he stopped.

She gave a smile then looked at him wide sad eyes, "you remind me so much of your mother, she had that same quietness about her." Satoshi was too stunned to speak at first so she continued. "She was a great lady and a great friend."

"You knew my mother?" His voice was barely above a whisper as he stared at her.

"I did, not long before you were born actually." She smiled softly, "your mother would play the piano for me and then touch her stomach, where you were. You always kicked after she finished," Aaron laughed gently. "You mother was one of the best friends I've ever had and I think of her often. She was like the mother I never had." For a long minute there was silence before she looked at her hands and asked something slowly. "May I ask you a favor?" She waited for him to nod before continuing softly. "Can I…Can I hold you?" Satoshi's eyes widened even further as he stared at Aaron.

"What, why?" He asked confused.

"I saw you once, before your mother died. I held you when you were just a tiny baby and I'd never felt such kinship with anyone in my entire life. Even from before you were born I felt like you were my brother but when I held you…I knew you were my brother in every way except blood. The two of you made me a part of something and that gave me more happiness then anything in the world. That night was the last time I saw either of you, alive that is. I went to your mother's grave once, a long time ago, when you would have been about five of six but I never found you. I think that was the first time in my life I'd truly cried," she had tears in her eyes. "I wish I'd been there for her, for you both," regret was heavy in her voice as she looked at her hands. "You were both everything to me for so long and then I left you both and," she couldn't speak anymore because of the sobs that wracked her body. Satoshi didn't even think as he reached out and pulled her into his arms and held her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and sobbed into his chest while he tried to comfort her.

"It's alright, we did okay. There was nothing you could have done anyway," he whispered to her. For the several long minutes it took her to calm down he thought about everything she'd said and finally he pulled away. "Aaron, I don't have any family left, unless you want to be my sister?" He watched her eyes widen in surprise.

"Satoshi I…are you sure?" Her voice was so low that he almost didn't hear her.

He nodded and kept his voice firm, "yes." She smiled and hugged him and gave a slight laugh.

"So what's my name now? Hakari or Hiwatari?" She wiped away her tears and smiled at him.

"You can chose," he gave her a tiny smile back.

"I think…Hakari, for mom," she beamed and he nodded in appreciation.


End file.
